


Casabianca

by MrProphet



Category: Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 04:35:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10689852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrProphet/pseuds/MrProphet





	Casabianca

_John stood in the pool of light, his throat dry and his palms sweating. Out beyond the glare, someone coughed politely and he drew a deep breath to begin._

_“The boy stood on the burning deck,  
Whence all but he had fled…”_

*

The blanket and sheets were scratchy; hard, cheap linen and too much starch in the ship’s laundry. It made John feel awkward; even more awkward than he would have done anyway. He tightened his embrace and sighed.

“You realise this is against all regulations,” he noted.

Nancy giggled; a sound he had never heard form her before.

“What? Oh, I know; ‘good old John, always worrying about the rules.’”

Nancy turned in his arms and pressed a kiss against his mouth. “I’m sorry,” she told him. “I realise that, for you, having inappropriate relations with an ordinary rating is a serious offence. Since I am aboard a ship of His Majesty’s Royal Navy under false pretences, fraternising with an officer is the least of my worries.”

“You make a terrible sailor,” John told her.

“Hey!”

“I mean… I mean you make an unconvincing  _boy_  sailor,” John protested.

Nancy shrugged. “No one else seems to have noticed.”

John stroked her hair. “Should we… Would it have been better if we’d waited?”

“For later? John, we don’t know if there’s going to be a later for us.”

*

_The forward turret went up with a thunderous roar, spewing smoke and flames across the deck.  
_

_“Aftward turret jammed, Captain!” the Chief hollered. “One and five machine guns empty; three and four destroyed.”  
_

_Captain Masterson hung his head. “We gave it all we had to give gentlemen,” he said. “Mr Collins, what control do we have?”  
_

_“Nothing to speak of, sir,” the number one reported.  
_

_“Chief; sound for abandon ship, then get the men to the boats. You too, Mr Walker.”  
_

_“Yes, sir,” John replied reluctantly.  
_

_“Torpedo bombers coming around again,” the starboard lookout reported.  
_

_“Mr Walker, Chief; get moving!” Masters barked. Mr Collins, all she has please.”  
_

_John ran out and slid down the bridge ladder to the deck. Thick, black smoke belched from the wrecked triple-A turret and blew back along the deck. He ran to the starboard lifeboats to supervise boarding, checking each before launch. Number one was six men short; number two was missing eight men… and one woman.  
_

_“Go!” he told the men aboard.  
_

_“Come aboard, sir!” the senior rating insisted.  
_

_John activated the hoists himself, swinging the boat out and down. He turned and ran back towards the depth charge station with one thought on his mind: **Nancy**._

*

Nancy dressed in the cramped confines of John’s cabin. He shared the space with the number one, but she had to share two bunks with two other ratings. She tied her breasts down and wore a uniform that was at least a size too big, but John still couldn’t imagine anyone mistaking her for a boy. Of course, he’d made that mistake himself, once upon a time.

“What about Peggy?” Nancy asked.

“There is nothing between us,” John assured her. “There never was, really.”

Nancy eyed him coolly. “You were engaged, John.”

“For a week,” he replied. “It was a mistake; hers as much as mine.” He hung his head. “No; it was mine more than hers. It was just… easy.”

“Because she made it easy?” Nancy asked.

John nodded. “With the dresses and the dancing… You were so much more work.” He smiled wryly. “And I was young, stupid and lazy.”

Nancy grinned; the same, devil-may-care grin she had always had. The grin that had always captivated him.

“I’m sorry if I hurt her,” he said, “but… it was always you, Nancy. Always.”

“And I thought you had an eye for Dorothea.”

“Young, stupid and lazy.”

“Is that why you punched Dick?”

“Pretty much,” John agreed. “Well; she didn’t talk to me for a year, so it worked.”

Nancy laughed softly. “You’re not exactly good with women, are you?”

“I like to live dangerously.”

*

_The hatch by the launcher was blocked by a depth charge. Heedless of the risk, John shoved the heavy, barrel-shaped explosive and rolled it out of the way. He heaved the hatch open and a cloud of hot smoke boiled out into his face.  
_

_He reeled back, choking, then leaned over and yelled: “Nan…!” He shook his head. “Blackett!”  
_

_He grabbed the ladder and slid down. He pulled the top of his jacket over his mouth and nose and pressed into the smoke. “Nancy!” he called, ignoring propriety. “Nancy!”  
_

_The smoke rolled in and his head spun._

*

Nancy bent over and kissed him. “It took you a while, but I’m glad you worked out what you wanted in the end.”

John forced a smile. “This isn’t the end,” he promised.

*

_John fell to the deck, choking. He looked up one last time, turning towards the hatch. Smoke burned in his throat and the light from the deck was almost blinding. His head spun and he remembered… A dry throat, the glare in his eyes; a cough…  
_

_A shadow blotted out the light and consciousness fled._

*

Cold water brought John back to life, and the choking wash of spray, but his head was foggy and he was aware of only vague impressions as he was dragged to a boat and hauled in.

“Nancy,” he moaned.

“It’s okay, sir,” the Chief promised. “You’ll get home to your girl yet.”

“No,” he murmured. “Nancy…”

“You’re alright,” the Chief repeated. As he spoke he leaned over John and another face appeared at his shoulder; a familiar face with a devil-may-care grin capped with short, dark, curls. “Blackett pulled you out of the hatch. What were you doing down there anyway?”

“I… fell,” John said, leaning back against the side of the boat. His lips moved and his voice emerged in a whisper.

“What was that, sir?”

Nancy grinned. “He said: ‘The boy stood on the burning deck, Whence all but he had fled.’” She sat down beside John as the Chief turned to the rowers and whispered: “And he was an idiot as well, John Walker.” For the briefest moment she squeezed his hand tightly. “Just don’t think I’m about to let you go so easily.”


End file.
